


Late night call

by orphan_account



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Drunk Dialing, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-14 06:15:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9165673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Poe drunk-dials Finn.





	

Poe was sure that Finn would have loved that stuff. He poured himself another shot of the amber liquid, before downing it in one go.

Why did he wait for celebrating the birth of L'ulo's first grandchild to open it? Because he had thought Finn would be there and celebrate alongside him, he recalled. But Finn wasn't here, because as soon as he got back on his two feet, Luke Skywalker and Rey showed back again and snatched him for a trip to some forsaken planet a thousand light years away.

And left poor old Dameron alone at base. Well, not alone, because his squadron was here, and he should be up and partying with everyone else, make some new recruit's night by taking them dancing or whatever.

He wouldn't, because all he wanted to do was to make Finn spin into his arms, and give him a taste of that fine, ridiculously expensive caf liquor. Then Finn would have ended up on his lap, smiled at him - a smile that shone brighter than a thousand suns - run a hand through his hair before covering him in kisses.

Or Finn would push him aside, look at him like he's a weirdo, or pity him for being hopelessly in love with him. Oh no, brain, Poe pleaded, don't go there, I don't want to think about it. He grabbed the bottle again, but it refused to come to him.

"Gimme," he heard Karé say. The voice was coming above him. She was firmly holding the bottle's neck. Sweat was running down her face, from all the dancing, and stray strands of blond hair were escaping from her braids.

"No," Poe mumbled, dragging the bottle to him. She let go without much resistance.

"You're no fun," she whined. "It's the good stuff. You should share the good stuff!"

"Yes. I am no fun. Commander Dameron is no fun," he grumbled, before pouring down another glass.

"Why the long face?" She leaned forward and their noses touched. Her eyes were twinkling and she smelled of alcohol. Poe guessed he didn't fare much better.

"Because I'm lonely, and I'm in love," he said dramatically. He took comfort in the burning sensation of the liquor in his mouth and down his throat.

"It's all on you! We all told you to spit it out, and you didn't. Now stop pouting, and gimme," she ordered, before shaking her own shot before his face.

Poe let his head drop on the table, between his arms. Karé was right, he thought. She had been absolutely right. And really, it wasn't that hard. I love you. It was, what, three words. Breathe in, say it, breathe out. He could have done it anytime. Poe had three whole weeks of Finn being on the same planet as him. It was as much as about… thirty thousand minutes.

"I've wasted thirty thousand minutes," he declared. Poe propped himself from his seat. His head was dizzy, but he could walk. Walk up to comm station, it was perfectly doable. "And… and I won't waste any more time!"

Karé blinked, watching him with eyes wide open and her mouth open in a o shape.

"Captain Kun, you are absolutely right," he told her, before handing his bottle to her. "Have a good night."

Poe only almost tripped twice on the walk from the outdoors party back the base's buildings, and one of them was because BB-8 came rolling into his legs when they saw him leave, so that was entirely the astromech's fault, not his.

"Good evening, everyone!" he said cheerfully when he entered the comm room. Everyone, it seemed, consisted of only PZ-4CO and Pamich.

"Good… evening," Pamich replied, pulling off her headset. "Is… everything alright, sir?" she asked worriedly, her lips twisting into a grimace.

"No. I mean yes. I mean, I need to contact Lieutenant Finn on Illut immediately!"

He placed his hands on his hips, straightened his back and put on the best "I am Commander Dameron and I outrank everyone in this room" face he could.

"Alright," Pamich finally agreed after a few seconds of hesitation. She put her headset back over her head, and pressed some keys on her station. "Hi, good afternoon, motherbase here. Ensign Nerro on the comm. Commander Dameron wishes to speak to Lieutenant Finn."

"Tell them it's urgent!" Poe added, hovering over Pamich's shoulder, her curly hair brushing against his cheek. "You have nice hair," he commented. It was all curly and jet black, it reminded him of Finn's.

"It's, uh, Commander Dameron tells me to tell you it's urgent." After a few seconds, she pulled her headset off again. "Someone's getting him."

"Thanks, Pamich, you're a treasure," Poe said, and he leaned him to press a kiss to her cheek. His heart soared in his chest, in anticipation of what it was about to do. It was such a daring thing to do, finally telling Finn he loved him, but he felt a good kind of energy running down his limbs. Thirty thousand minutes, he thought, he still couldn't quite believe it he had waited so long.

"It's… nothing, Commander," Pamich replied, rubbing her wet cheek. She handed him the headset from the tip of her fingers. "Here, take this."

"Thank you so much again, Pamich," he repeated, before taking her place in her empty seat and putting the headset over his ears. There was only static on the line. He breathed in, repeating the words calmly in his head, stretching his jaw. His heart was beating like crazy in his chest, blood flowing to his head.

Now or never, he thought, clenching his fist over the console board.

  
  


Finn was about to bite into his piece of bread before he spotted the communications officer coming out of the main tent, crossing his gaze and raising his hand.

"Lieutenant Finn, Commander Dameron wishes to speak to you. He says it's urgent," the officer said.

Sitting across from him, around the slow burning embers of the campfire, Rey and Luke Skywalker froze. Rey had already her mouth full. They threw interrogative looks at each other, then at Finn. Finn felt a shiver creep up his spine. What if something terrible had happened to the base? No, that couldn't be it - Finn had the feeling he would have  _ felt  _ something, thanks to his newly discovered Force-sensitivity. Like what he had sensed, the first time Starkiller Base fired. And even if he didn't, he was sure Luke Skywalker and his thirty years of practice would perceived it.

"I'm taking it, thanks Dorn," Finn replied, standing up from the used pavement of the temple ruins they explored.

The difference of light between the bright noon sun and the half-darkness of the tent made him blink. He took the headset Dorn was handing him, and sat down on the uncomfortable formaplast chair.

"Hi, Poe, what is going on?" he started. If it was noon here… It was about three in the morning at base.

"Finnnnn," Poe slurred at the other end of the line. "Oh stars it's so good to hear you," he continued slowly, drawing out the 's'. Finn felt his anxiety deflate in his chest, and the space getting filled by something not unlike anger.

"Poe, are you drunk?" he asked a little too loud. Finn had already imagined the base under attack, but it was just Poe drunk-comming him?

"Oh yeah babe, so drunk. So very drunk," Poe replied, and he punctuated his sentence with a little laugh.

Finn felt his heartbeat pick up the pace at the term of endearment. He was drunk, his mind corrected. That really didn't mean anything.

"Did you know that L'ulo's a granddad? He's a granddad. I saw pictures! Baby Duros are so cute, I almost want one," Poe kept blabbing.

Finn pinched the bridge of his nose. "Is this why you called me and said it was urgent? To tell me that L'ulo is a granddad?" he asked, speaking clearly and slowly.

"Yeah, yeah I know I shouldn't have, but I had to. I had to, pal. Not 'cause L'ulo's a granddad because you knew that already. Not that he was a granddad but that his daughter was expecting. I told you that. I remember I told you that."

"Yes, I remember, Poe. Listen, I think maybe you should get some rest…"

"No no no no no no no!" Poe interrupted, vehemently. "No, please babe, stay on the comm." Finn heard Poe take a deep inspiration.

"Finn, I love you. I love you. Love you so much," he mumbled. "Yeah I said it. I say it again : I love you Finn. I see you smile and I'm just, so in love, yeah?"

The noise of his heart beating and his blood rushing to his ears kept Finn for hearing the rest of Poe's drunk speech. He looked around him, at the tent full of antiquated material, at the green fabric, at Dorn's worried face, and everything seemed foreign to him. He wasn't sure if he was dreaming, had been dreaming but only started to notice, or if he was waking up.

"Finnnnn, you don't hate me do you? Please don't hate me, I'm just a poor drunk old pilot in love," Poe asked in a very sad tone. "In love with you. 'Cause I love you, you know. Thirty thousand kriffing minutes."

Finn snapped back into reality. Okay, this was happening, this had happened - a very drunk Poe had just told him that he loved him. His mind was split between running outside and proclaiming his own love to the pilot, because stars knew how much he had been waiting to hear it, and wanting to hang up so he wouldn't deal with the emotional turmoil, and pretend none of this happened.

"I don't hate you," Finn finally answered.

"Oh? So you love me then?" Poe asked, hopeful.

"I...uh…" He breathed in. "I'm not having this conversation with drunk Poe."

"B-but drunk Poe loves you. You don't love drunk Poe?"

"I love sober Poe more. You should tell him that."

"MMmh okay. I'll tell him when I see him. But you gotta make me a promise first."

"If I say yes, will you leave the comm and go to bed?"

"Yeah."

"Good. So what do I have to do?"

"You have to call sober Poe when he will be up. Tell him that drunk Poe called to tell you we both love you very much. He never worked up the courage so I had to do it for him."

"No problem, sure, I'll do it. Now, please, get some rest."

"Will do, el-tee Finn." He chuckled warmly at the over end of the comm. "Mmmmh, good night to you too. I'm gonna dream of you into my arms tonight."

"Sweet dreams, Poe," Finn sighed.

"Love you, babe," Poe replied, before signing off.

"Is everything alright, sir?" Dorn asked after Finn gave him back the headset.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Finn lied. He felt strangely weak, as if he was about to faint, and at the same time, he felt so energized he could run thirty times around the old ruins before getting tired. "Everything's alright at the base." He patted the ensign's shoulder. "Thanks for calling me."

"You're welcome, sir," Dorn replied, settling himself back on the chair.

"So what was it?" Rey asked, arms crossed over her chest, brow furrowed.

"It was… uh… nothing," Finn lied again. She stared right into her eyes, and Finn recalled what Han Solo had told him about women always finding out the truth. She thankfully didn't press the question further, and Finn was glad for it. He didn't know if he wanted to tell anything to anyone, even to Rey, before he had figured it out himself.

The rest of the day was rather uneventful - more exploration of the tunnels carved underneath the temple and retranscription of the proto-Aurebesh language painted on the walls. Which had left much of Finn's brainspace available for thinking over and over again of that darned comm. He was torn between being overcome with joy, and worried that it had just been drunk Poe being drunk, saying things he didn't really mean.

At the end of the day, when he tossed and turned in his bed, too restless to fall asleep, he concluded there was really one way to know.

He quietly stepped outside of the night section of the big tent, careful not to wake up Rey, Luke Skywalker and the soldiers not on shift at this late hour, and walked up again to the comm station. Dorn had left shift hours ago and was replaced by Tanak, currently dozing off over his dashboard.

"Good evening," Finn said quietly, and Tanak jumped, his head tendrils contracting and extending on his head, his eyes wide open. "S-sorry, Lieutenant!" he replied, bracing himself from a rebuke.

Finn smiled. "It's alright," he reassured him. "I would just like to speak to Commander Dameron on base, if he's available."

"S-sure thing," he said, his cheeks turning a more intense shade of yellow.

Finn waited a few minutes, feeling electricity at his fingertips. He slid his hands into the pockets on his sleep pants, nudging at the fabric inside to cool his nerves.

"They say they're looking for him," Tanak told him, handing him the headset.

  
  


Poe woke up when the first rays of sunshine filtered through his window. Or as he would put it - way too kriffing early.

He shifted his position on the bed, and was surprised to find he had been hugging his empty bottle of caf liquor in his sleep. The next thing he noticed was that his whole body ached, and that his head weighed as much as his X-Wing's engine. 

His tongue was thick and heavy in his dry mouth. "Water," he mumbled, dragging himself from the bed, little stars shining before his eyes. He really overdid himself last night. Between the lone drinking and the trip to comm-

"Oh no," Poe realized, pressing his face into his hands. Son of a stinkin' tauntaun, he did not do that. He did not. His heart sank into his chest. Yes, he did, actually. He remembered the jist of it, not the exact words - but it was too clear in his memory to not be a dream.

He felt BB-8 nudge against his leg, beeping worriedly. "I'm fine. I'm just the biggest kriffing hungover fool in the Galaxy."

Finn was never going to speak to him ever again. And even if he did - Poe wasn't sure he wouldn't just spontaneously combust from embarrassment. BB-8 rolled again back and forth, pressing against his legs.

"What?" Poe asked, his face still between his hands. BB-8 chirped again. "Oh, yeah. Drills." Scheduled for this morning and this afternoon. He got plenty of baby birds which needed to learn to fly and fight. That was good, something he could do, even with a pounding headache. It would take his mind off of things and help him fight the urge to dig himself into a hole for the rest of his life.

Karé and Snap were still at mess when Poe had cleaned himself up enough to be presentable, looking about as good as Poe - dark bags under their eyes, slow, precarious movements. Karé smiled wildly at him as she saw him enter the mess hall.

"No," Poe said when he sat down on the bench with his warm cup of caf in his hand. His stomach was complaining and he wasn't sure he could withstand anything more consistent this morning. Especially not if he was going to teach barrel rolls and other evasive maneuvers this morning.

"I didn't even say anything," Karé replied, leaning her head against Snap's shoulder.

"I just - don't want to talk about anything that might have happened last night," Poe grumbled, before taking a sip of his caf.

Karé squint her eyes. "Perhaps it is because you did drunk-comm Finn? How did it go?" she teased, before whispering into Snap's ear, filling him in. It made Snap laugh, and made Poe want to press his head into the formaplast's table and stay there. Kriff drill flights, if it meant dealing with these two.

"Please, don't, let's just pretend it never happened," Poe demanded. He had spectacularly screwed up any shot he might have had with Finn. It was enough crap to deal for one day, without these two idiots pouring salt over the wound.

"Okay, fine, Poe," Snap conceded, raising his hands before him. Poe looked up from his cup to cross their gazes, and they both looked at him with a mix of concern and pity, and Poe sighed - it was as bad as the teasing. It was going to be a long day.

Drills went fine - as fine they could considering the level of the baby birds, and Poe's own shape. He immersed himself in it, forcing his mind to focus on the new recruits, pushing aside any other thoughts. Everyone was properly knackered by the time of the lunch break, Poe included.

Lieutenant Connix came looking for him as he was putting his empty tray back to get washed up.

"Finn wishes to speak to you," she announced, her eyebrows raised, shooting him a suspicious look. Poe tensed up, his heart sinking in his chest again. Oh, no. He wasn't ready. He hadn't even thought of what he should say to Finn - hadn't wanted to. Well, time to face the consequences of your stupidity, Dameron, he thought, feeling a knot starting to grow into his throat.

Lieutenant Connix led the way, walking in big strides, her shoulders tense. She looked behind him every time they turned a corner in a hallway to see if he was following her, her lips pinched, staring at him coldly. Poe recalled that she and Pamich were bunkmates. Pamich probably told her all about last night's drunk comm. Made sense that she would be fed up with him - Poe was fed up with himself.

"Here," she said, holding out the headset.

"Poe?" He heard Finn say at the other end of the line. He sounded… worried, perhaps. The knot in Poe's throat tightened.

"Hi, Finn, Poe on the link. How you doing, pal?" he asked, aiming (and failing) for a casual tone.

"I'm alright. You?"

"Woke up with the mother of all hangovers," Poe replied, trying to keep the tone light. He heard Finn's warm chuckle at the over end of the link, and he relaxed a bit. Finn's laugh had that effect on him.

"I wanted to talk to you, about your call earlier today. Or I guess last night from where you are," Finn continued, switching back into that worried, careful tone again.

Poe combed his hair with his hand. "Buddy, don't worry about it. I was just very drunk, made a fool of myself. Probably embarrassed you in front of Skywalker and Rey and the others. I'm so very sorry, you have no idea."

"It's alright. No one but me was listening. It's cool."

"Oh. Okay then." Poe's hand switched from his hair to the spot at the base of his nape, scratching where the collar of his flight suit brushed against his skin. His stomach was aching, and he couldn't tell if it was because of last night's excessive drinking or the tension spreading through him.

"Did you mean it?" Finn finally asked a few seconds of silence.

"What?" Poe blurted out, like the idiot he was.

"What you told me. Even though you were drunk - did you mean it?" Even through the commlink, Finn's tension was perfectly audible. Poe's hand circled his throat, the knot growing bigger and bigger, threatening to suffocate him.

Kriff, he thought. He closed his eyes, took a deep inspiration. He remembered what he had said last night - breathe in, say it, breathe out.

"I meant it."

He heard something not unlike wind blowing at the other end of the commlink.

"I'm… I'm happy you meant it," Finn finally said. "I was worried it was just… not what I thought you meant."

Poe let his hand drop to his side. "Does that mean that you...."

"I… I don't know for sure. It's a big word, you know? But… I think I like you. No, screw that, I'm pretty sure I like you. If that's alright for you."

"Buddy," Poe replied, feeling his throat opening anew, "that's more than enough for me". More than he would have ever hoped in his wildest dreams, he wanted to add, but he wasn't sure his mouth would follow, and that the words wouldn't end up in a scrambled mess.

"Okay. I'm really happy, then. Really really happy," Finn added sincerely. "I can't wait to go back to base."

"Me too, I mean, I can't wait for you to come back," Poe corrected, and Finn chuckled again, and Poe's heart skipped a beat, he was pretty sure.

"Yeah, got it. I'm going to have to hang up. Pretty sure the whole thing didn't count as appropriate use of the comm devices."

"Same here," Poe said, looking at Connix. She was still throwing him dark glares, arms crossed on her chest. If looks could kill, Poe would be in big trouble, he thought.

"Talk to you soon. Check your texts," Finn promised. "Signing off now."

"Sure thing, pal!" Poe managed to say before the comm was cut off. He carefully removed his headset, the static noise replaced by the chatter and the beeps of the comm center. Connix's expression had softened a bit, the corner of her lips slightly upwards as she put the headset back on.

"I'm very sorry for all the…" Poe told her, gesturing to the comm station. She flicked her hand. "We'll let it slide. But you owe us one. Me and Pamich," she said, briefly frowning her eyebrows. "Now go," she added before turning her full attention back to her dashboard.

 

  
"Thanks again," Finn whispered to Tanak, clasping his hand over the Mikkian's shoulder.

"You're welcome, sir," he nodded.

Finn walked as quietly as possible back to the sleep area. He froze when he felt a hand grip around his ankle.

"Finn," Rey whispered, her hand and head peeking out from under the cover. "Where did you go? Tell me now," she demanded. It was dark, but not dark enough for Finn not to see Rey's look. She wasn't going to be satisfied with a "uh, nothing," this time. She let go of his ankle, and he sat down on his own bunk next to hers.

"I...uh… Poe loves me," Finn whispered, feeling his cheek burn. Rey grinned at him. "So that is why you're smiling like an idiot?"

"Am I?" he asked, before noticing that yes, he was, and his cheeks flared up again. Rey tossed her duvet aside, and kneeled on her bunk in front of him. She framed his face in her hands, and pressed a light kiss to his forehead.

"I'm very happy for you. You deserve it. Someone who loves you."

Finn didn't know if his smile could grow any bigger than this.

  
  


Karé had already put her inflatable jacket and flight helmet in the locker room when Poe jogged back to get ready. "So?" she asked as soon as she saw him.

"Finn likes me," Poe told her back triumphantly, pulling his own jacket out from his locker. He caught sight of his reflection in the locker door mirror. He had the silliest grin on, and figured that everyone would tease him about it for the rest of the week.

"You really don't deserve him," Karé teased, before exiting the room to head for the tarmac.

"Rude," Poe mumbled, putting his helmet on, before jogging to join her for the afternoon drills. He made a mental note to check on his contact on Taris, see if she could send him a new bottle of caf liquor in the supply of provisions for the Resistance. He and Finn were going to have another thing to celebrate, soon.   


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this! I think there are few better ways to start the year than with some stormpilot! Please feel free to leave a comment regarding any mistakes I might have made. Happy New Year to you all!


End file.
